


Beautiful Dawn

by Alexwritesfics



Series: Dreaming of a Home [5]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, modern!AU, morning snuggles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2015-09-29
Packaged: 2018-04-24 01:13:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4899841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexwritesfics/pseuds/Alexwritesfics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Andy's turn to feed Davey. Andy finds he doesn't mind so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beautiful Dawn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> This will make a lot more sense when I upload a Dreaming of a Home, the origin of Davey and how he came to be. I wrote kid fic again! Just a little silly fluffy thing because why not? This was fun to write. Really hope you enjoy it! x
> 
> P.S. The title of this story is inspired by the James Blunt song "High" (don't judge me).

Andy woke to the sound of a small cry - but it was no ordinary cry. It was from Davey, and it was a sound Andy knew he'd never be able to sleep through. Their baby was making himself known.

Night-time feeding duties were putting a strain on the both of them. Thomas was trying to quit smoking, and was still getting the occasional withdrawal symptoms. It had been more difficult than they'd anticipated to adjust as a family unit. They didn't have nearly as much time to themselves as a couple, and less sleep made it harder for them to focus on their projects during the day. But Andy still enjoyed getting little moments holding his new son before the sun came up.

It was Andy's shift tonight. Thomas needed some sleep after yesterday afternoon's migraine.

'...Davey,' Thomas murmured, trying to pull the duvet and blanket aside, eyes still half-shut. He was always eager to help out with Davey be it morning noon or night, but Andy remained firm despite his own tired self. It was Andy's turn to tend to Davey.

Andy swung his legs over the bed and fixed the duvet, leaning over to kiss Thomas softly on the forehead. '...Sleep,' the younger man said.

And Thomas seemed to get the message, turning over and burrowing back under the covers, letting out a little tired sigh.

The clock read 4:00 AM. Andy smiled a little to himself despite it all, stifling a yawn as he got to his feet, walking over to the cot. 'Hi there, Davey...' he said, reaching down to pick up his son.

Andy still felt his heart stop when he looked at David Parker-Barrow, his and Thomas' first and currently only child. Everyone agreed - Davey was a beautiful baby, with a shock of brown hair sitting pretty on his head and wide blue eyes. Andy felt fear as well as love, and he knew Thomas felt it too, perhaps even more than his younger husband - was this really happening? Were they finally getting what society had told them for a long time would never happen? Same-sex parents hadn't been an entirely new concept when Andy was growing up, but he'd grown up in a world that seemed to favour the nuclear family unit.

He'd never really pictured himself settling down with a man and having children until he'd met Thomas.

And Andy had been right about going with his gut instinct. Thomas was already shaping up to be a wonderful father.

Andy smiled again, still blinking the sleep from his eyes as he fed his son from a milk bottle. He watched as Davey's adorably chubby fingers gripped onto the object, counting them with reverence and wonder. There had been a time when Davey was just the size of a peanut, but now here he was, a little small (perhaps due to his slightly premature birth) but growing bigger and stronger by the day.

'There, that's better, isn't it?' Andy said gently as he walked into the hallway to help Thomas sleep. '...You're going to grow up big and strong, just like your Daddy.' Andy knew his words were clichéd and he sometimes felt embarrassed saying things in-front of Thomas, but he couldn't help it - the thought of Thomas as a "Daddy" had been precious and adorable and even moreso when Andy got to see it for real. Thomas was, by most accounts, a private and reserved man, but he clearly hadn't been able to contain his joy at finally having a child with Andy. Thomas was utterly devoted to little Davey.

Andy spared a quick glance at Thomas from what he could see of him through the doorway, who looked beautiful in the light of an approaching dawn, black hair spread out on the pillow. There was a hint of stubble forming on Thomas' jawline that Andy loved.

When Andy had burped Davey properly, he simply held the boy in his arms, swaying gently as he watched the sunrise through a sizeable gap in the haphazard curtains. The house was a bit of a mess, with the new baby arriving and all. When they'd settled into a better routine, Andy and Thomas would probably invest in some time spent spring cleaning.

'Daddy loves you very much,' Andy said to Davey, kissing Davey's head much like he'd kissed Thomas'. 'He's so proud. He's usually quiet, but no-one's been able to shut him up these past few months...!' Andy laughed to himself, looking back up through his fringe of curls at the sky. It was currently bathing everything in an exquisite golden light.

Andy was tired, hungry and in all honesty a little cold, standing there in nothing but his t-shirt and long boxer shorts next to the window. But he couldn't be happier in that moment. This was where he was meant to be, at home with his two boys.

'You're going to grow up here, with us, and we're all going to be happy together,' Andy murmured, knowing he was chatting nonsense to someone who couldn't comprehend the meaning of his words yet but feeling too joyful and comfortable to stop. 'We might not always get on, mind... I remember being a teenager and it wasn't always fun living under my parents' roof. We might end up embarrassing you a bit along the way... I guess that's pretty natural, though. But we'll take care of you. And when you get big enough, we're going to take you to the park, and the beach, a-and we'll all get ice-cream...' Andy laughed again, feeling tears prickle at the corner of his eyes. _Christ._ He really must be tired, because suddenly he felt a little weepy.

He hadn't welled up like this since they'd first brought little Davey home.

'I wonder what you'll call us...' he said after he'd managed to collect himself. 'We can't be "Dad" and "Daddy" forever. Maybe you'll call us Andy and Thomas.' He watched Davey's eyes finally grow heavy with sleep again.

Andy chose to take it as a compliment rather than an insult that his little chats with Davey sent his baby son right to sleep.

'My favourite flavour of ice-cream is pistachio,' Andy went on to say, knowing he probably sounded ridiculous but also knowing Davey would be soothed by it. '..Daddy says it tastes horrible, but it's not my fault he's obsessed with anything remotely chocolate-y and the rest of the flavours are out of the question.'

Davey made an adorable little snuffling sound and closed his eyes properly. Andy smiled again, feeling like his face would start to ache from how how much he smiled lately. Having a new baby in the house was stressful to say the least, but he reckoned him and Thomas were managing alright. Andy was certainly glad they were both able to work from home, because it meant they could be closer to their son.

'I love you so much,' Andy said, and the words sounded like sweet music in the morning air because his heart was aching from the sheer sincerity of it. He'd never loved someone so unconditionally from the very beginning. Even with Thomas it had took some time, but with Davey it had been as easy as breathing.

'...We've been waiting for you all our lives and we didn't realise it,' Andy said softly. 'Especially Daddy. Daddy's never had a family like ours before, which makes it even more special-'

'-Daddy's awake,' Thomas said from behind Andy, though he didn't seem particularly irritated by that fact.

'Sssh, don't sneak up on us,' Andy said, still in hushed tones but with a silly grin plastered on his face. He felt strong, bare arms wrap around him gently but protectively. He looked over his shoulder to see Thomas, looking as tired as Andy felt but a little less pained than earlier.

'Someone's been chatty today,' Thomas said, looking down at a napping Davey. 'Poor little man... You've sent him right to sleep with all of your talking.'

If Andy hadn't been holding Davey just then, he would have shoved Thomas playfully. 'It gets him settled, that's all,' Andy said. 'And it must be you that's boring, since that's all we've been talking about.'

'Hmm, you're always talking about me, Andy,' Thomas said, kissing Andy's shoulder, possibly to repay the gesture from earlier on. 'Anyone would think you had a crush on me or something.'

Andy's smile grew even wider. 'Yeah, something like that.'

'How's Davey doing?'

'Fine. He was hungry for a bit, but I think he'll sleep for a while. Oh, he might need changing soon, though.'

'No point going back to sleep, then?'

Andy laughed, quietly and ruefully, noting both the fondness and exasperation in Thomas' voice. '...'Fraid so. You can sleep for a little while if you want, though.'

'No. I want to be here with the both of you.' Thomas leaned forward and kissed Andy on the cheek. 'You're so lovely with him.'

'...You're lovelier. You sing to him-'

'-Y-You've seen me sing to him?'

'I don't know why you're so embarrassed. You have such a sweet voice. I want to record it and listen to it when I work.'

'You big sap, you,' Thomas said, nuzzling Andy's neck a little.

'Should we put him to bed, then?'

'Sounds like a plan. I'll do it if you want.'

'No, you go and make us some coffee. We've got Eddie, Daisy and the Bateses coming 'round this afternoon an' I'd like to see them when we're at least half-awake and presentable.'

'Alright...' Thomas said with a small sigh, walking around Andy for a brief stroke of Davey's soft, feathery hair before he left in search of caffeine.

Andy finally went back into the bedroom and put Davey back in his cot, taking a moment to look down at such a wonderful sight. Davey was quite simply amazing. Thomas and Andy, though tired from night and early-morning feeds, seemed to work well under pressure when it really came down to it and honestly couldn't be happier with how things had turned out.

The birds started to sing in the trees outside their bedroom window.

Andy smiled again as he got dressed for the day.

Life was sweet.


End file.
